Automatic valve for water-closets.



No. 809,722. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. J. C. MGGARL.

AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR WATER CLOSBTSA APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17. 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH O. MoOARL, OF WVESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOWILLIAM J. ALEXANDER,

ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM H. HOYT, AND ONE-FOURTH TO J OHI\ OHARE, OFNORWALK, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed September 17. 1904. Serial No. 224,815.

To all whmn it puny concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. MoCARL, a citizen of the United States,residing at WVeston, in the county of Lewis and State of I/VestVirginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Valvesfor I/Vater- Closets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic valves for water-closets.

The objects of the invention are to improve and simplify theconstruction of such valves; furthermore, to increase their efficiencyin operation.

- I further object of the invention is to improve the generalconstruction of the closet.

I/Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafterdescribed and claimed as a practical embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus constructed in accordancewith the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the valve. Fig. 3 isa detail perspective view of a break-jointused in connection with thedevice, the parts thereof being separated for the purpose ofillustration.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the differentviews.

The reference-letter A indicates the bowl; B, the flushing-tank; O, thevalve, and D the depressible seat, which is hinged or pivotallyconnected to the bowl in any suitable manner.

The valve 0, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises an inlet-chamber 1, which isprovided with a removable cap 2, with which connects an inlet-pipe 3,leading from a water-main or other suitable source of supply. The cap 2is pro vided with a depending tubular sleeve 4, which forms the upperbearing for a hollow valve-stem 5, on which is mounted an inletvalve 6,which controls the passage of water from the inlet-chamber 1 to thevalve-chamber 7, said valve-chamber 7 communicating, by means of thepipesection 8, with the flushing-tank B. Disposed in the upper portionof the flushing-tank B is an air-outlet valve 9 formed with a pluralityof air-outlet perforations 10, said air-outlet perforations beingadapted to be closed by the rising movement of a float-valve 11, havinga stem 12, formed with a conically-enlarged upper end 13. The valve 9permits the escape of an from the tank as it fills with water, and byclosing said air-outlet perforations when the tankis completely filledwith water said valve automatically prevents the escape of water.

Mounted upon the tubular valve-stem 5, below the valve-chamber 7, is anoutlet-valve 14, which controls the outlet from the valvechamber andflushing-tank, said valve controlling the opening between thevalve-chamber 7 and the outlet-chamber 15, which communicates, by meansof a pipe-section 16, with the bowlA. The passage] 7 through the hollowvalve-stem 5 terminates in an outlet 18 below the outlet-valve 14, saidpassage thus serving to deliver a small and constant supply of waterfrom the inlet-chamber 1 to the outlet-chamber 15, and thus to the bowl.

A- cap 19 is screwed or otherwise suitably secured in the lower end ofthe outlet-chamber 15 and serves as the lower bearing for thevalve-stem, said cap being provided with an auxiliary cap 20, which actsas a stuffing-box for the valve-stem 5.

At its lower end the valve-stem 5 is pivotally connected with anoperating-lever 21, which is pivoted or fulcrumed upon a support 22. Theoperating-lever 21 is connected with the depressible seat D by means ofa drawrod 23, which is formed with a breakjoint 24, the upper member ofthe draw-rod being formed with a downwardly-projecting tongue 25, whichbears against the lower member of the draw-rod, and thus prevents thebreak-joint from straightening out, for which reason said break-joint isadapted to bend easily when the depressible seat is raised into verticalposition.

Connected with the free end of the operating-lever 21 is a foot ortreadle lever 26,

which is pivoted to a suitable support 27.

The portion 28 of the treadle-lever 26 is adapted to be depressed by thefoot of a person using the device. In order that the treadle-lever 26wlll not prevent the upward movement of the operating-lever 21 when theseat D is depressed, a slot 29 is formed in said treadle-lever 26 at thepoint of its conting the tank to be filled.

nection with said operating-lever 21. The operating-lever 21 is eldnormally in lowered position by any suitable automatic meanssuch, forinstance, as a weight 30, which is attached thereto.

If it be not desired to employ a hollow valve-stem for supplying acontinuous stream of water to the bowl, a small supply-pipeis connectedwith the opening 00 in the outletchamber 15 for this purpose.

Constructed as above described, the operation of the improved device isas follows: It will be understood that the weight 30 normally holds theoperating-lever 21 in lowered position, so that the inlet-valve 6 isclosed, the outlet-valve 14 is opened, the seat D is raised slightly, asshown in Fig. 1, and a small but constant stream of water is permittedto flow from the supply-pipe 3 and inletchamber 1 to the outlet-chamber15 and bowl A through the passage 17 in the valve-stem 5. When the seatD is depressed upon the bowl, the upward movement on the drawrod 23causes the operating-lever 21 to be raised, thus simultaneously closingthe outlet-valve 14 and opening the inletvalve 6. For this reason duringthe period of time in which the seat is depressed the flushing-tank isfilled with water from the supply-pipe 3 and inlet-chamber 1. As soon asthe tank becomes filled the float 11 rises, thus preventing the escapeof water therefrom and auto- -matically shutting off the supply of waterthereto. When pressure upon the seat D is relieved, the weight 30 causessaid seat to rise slightly, thus permitting the operatinglever 21 todescend and open the outlet-valve 14, at the same time closing theinlet-valve 6. The opening of the outlet-valve 14 permits the waterwhich has collected in the tank to flow through the pipe 8,valve-chamber 7, outlet-chamber 15, and pipe 16 into the bowl A. Whenthe device is used by a man, the seat D is raised into vertical positionand the treadle-lever 26 is depressed with the foot, thus elevating theoperating-lever 21, closing the outlet-valve 14, and opening theinletvalve 6, as previously described, and permit- It will be observedthat the break-joint in the draw-rod 23 permits the seat D to be raisedinto vertical position without interfering with the operation of thelever 21 by the treadle-lever 26.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the tank isnormally empty and is filled only during the use of the device.

Changes in the precise embodiment of invention illustrated and describedmay be made within the scope of the following claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In adevice of the character specified, the combination of a closed tank, aninletvalve thereto, an outlet-valve therefrom, a stem for said inlet andoutlet valves, an operating-lever connected with said stem, a bowl, amovable seat thereon, a draw-rod having a breakjoint, connecting saidmovable seat with said operatinglever, a treadlelever having a slottedconnection with said operating-lever, and an air-outlet valve in saidtank, adapted to be closed automatically when the tank is filled.

2. In a device of the character specified, the combination of aninlet-chamber, a valvechamber, an outlet-chamber, a tank connected withthe valve-chamber, an air-outlet valve in said tank adapted to be closedautomatically when the tank is filled, an inletvalve between saidinlet-chamber and valvesage leading from said outlet-chamber to saidbowl, an operating-lever connected with said valve-stem, a movable seat,a draw-rod connecting said seat with said operating-lever and having abreak-j oint therein, a foot-lever having a slotted connection with saidoperat ing-lever, and a weight attached to said operating-lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH C. MoCARL.

